Chapter 3

Anastasia pressed harder on the gas, as tears blurred her vision.

Dario not believing her was one thing, but her mother choosing that same path was another.

She bit on her lower lip and made a left turn.

After driving for twenty minutes, Anastasia arrived at her destination.

A place that looked, and felt like home.

She took deep breaths, and approached the big gates of Dario's house.

Anastasia pressed on the gate buzzer, and she didn't get a reply.

She continued to press, until a familiar guard walked to the gate.

“You should know that you are not welcome here”. The man said with a stern expression.

Anastasia shook her head.

“Damian I really have to talk to Dario please, you have to let me in”.

“I promise I am not here to cause any trouble”.

She begged.

“Not here to cause any trouble you say”. A familiar feminine voice rang, and Anastasia stiffened.

Ivy Volkov, Dario's mother, walked slowly to the gate with both her hands inside her coat pocket.

Anastasia sniffled.

“Mrs Volkov I know you never approved of my relationship with your son, but I promise you I didn't do anything wrong!”

“Didn't do anything wrong you say?”

“Tell me Anastasia, are you so promiscuous that you don't consider cheating on your fiance to be wrong?” Ivy asked with a smug look on her face.

“I didn't cheat on your son!”

“I love Dario!” Anastasia yelled and grabbed the poles on the gate.

Ivy shook her head.

“I knew this would happen, I warned my son multiple times about you, but he didn't listen”.

“He was blinded by your pretty face that hides the cunning vixen that you are!”

Anastasia flinched at the sound of Ivy's voice.

“Despite the fact that you hurt my son, I am glad that this is all over, he now sees you for who you really are”.

She paused, and dragged her gaze over Anastasia with disgust written all over.

“Your plans didn't work this time Anastasia”.

“You chose the wrong man to seduce, Mikhail Volkov is not weak in willpower like my son”.

“He might have fallen for your seductive act for one night, but that's it”.

“You will never be able to get him like the way you did with Dario”. She spat and left without waiting for another word from Anastasia.

Anastasia's shaky fingers ran through her hair as she went back to her car.

Dario wasn't taking any of her calls, and this was the one place where she knew to find him.

Soft cries echoed as she drove back to her apartment.

Anastasia opened the door to her apartment and her eyes wandered around as she stepped in.

She got this apartment four years ago almost after she started working for Ivy Volkov.

Dario was one out of the two persons that she brought back here.

And now the whole place reminded her of him.

Images of him pulling her to sit on his lap on the couch appeared in her mind, and Anastasia clenched her fists.

She picked up her phone again, and called Dario, just like before, it went straight to voicemail.

Anastasia hit record, and tears fell down her cheeks.

“Hey”.

“I know you probably don't want to hear my voice, I know I am the last person you want to see or talk to right now”.

“But I just wanted to tell you again that I didn't cheat on you, I have never had thoughts about cheating on you”.

Her voice broke as the sobs left her lips.

“Fuck, I love you Dario”. She cried and dropped to her knees.

The weight of everything that happened in the last twenty four hours weighed on her, Anastasia's whole body shook while painful cries left her lips.

****

The air in the office went completely still.

Everyone looked like they were holding their breaths.

Mikhail looked up from behind the desk, and the men tensed.

“Speak”.

One of them crossed the room in three strides, and handed a file to him.

“Sir, those files contain the test results”.

“The drinks found in your room were confirmed to have Benzodiazepine in them”.

“Proof that you were drugged”.

Mikhail ran his cold gaze through the men in the room.

“Is this all you've found?”

They nodded.

“You can leave”.

“Tell Fabio to bring what he's found on your way out”.

The men bowed their heads and left.

In less than two minutes, Fabio was in the office with a guy who had his hands tied to his front.

“Pakhan, we found him trying to escape, he was on watch on the night of the gala”.

“Name”. Mikhail said without looking up.

“Yuri”. The boy said as a shiver rippled through his body.

Mikhail being calm was not helping with his anxiety.

“Who sent you?”

“I don't know pakhan, I swear I don't”.

“I received the money and instructions anonymously, I swear I didn't know what they were up to”.

Mikhail finally dropped the file, and looked up.

“What were you told to do?”

The boy stiffened before he answered.

“To unlock the service entrance”.

“Is that all?” Mikhail asked with a raised brow.

“I swear that is all, sir please don't kill me”. Yuri begged.

Mikhail leaned back into his chair.

“Untie him”.

Fabio frowned.

"...Pakhan?"

"I said untie him."

The ropes were cut.

Yuri rubbed his wrists in disbelief.

Mikhail nodded toward the door.

"You may leave."

The room froze.

Even Yuri looked confused.

"...You're letting me go?"

"Yes."

Yuri hesitated before practically running out of the office.

The heavy doors closed behind him.

Silence.

Fabio finally broke it.

"Pakhan..."

"Why?”

“He was the first clue to revealing the truth!”.

Mikhail walked toward the window.

His expression remained unreadable.

"Because whoever planned this operation is intelligent."

"They drugged two people."

"Manipulated the media."

“Timed Dario's arrival. Entered my home without forcing a lock."

He paused.

"They are not stupid enough to leave me a witness."

Fabio's eyes widened.

Mikhail continued quietly,

"If Yuri is no longer useful his employer will eliminate him."

He looked at Fabio.

"And when they do they will lead me straight to themselves."

A slow smile appeared on Fabio's face.

"So..."

"We're using him as bait."

Mikhail's gaze drifted toward the gates outside.

"No."

"We're allowing our enemy to believe they've cleaned up their mistake."

Another pause.

"Keep him under surveillance."

"Twenty-four hours.No contact."

"No interference."

"If anyone approaches him I want names!."

Fabio nodded immediately.

"And if no one comes?"

Mikhail buttoned his jacket.

"They will. "People who orchestrate operations like this don't leave loose ends."

He started walking toward the door.

"And Fabio..."

"Yes, Pakhan?"

"This wasn't an attack on Anastasia."

Mikhail stopped.

"It was an attack.....on me."

Fabio's phone buzzed, and he frowned when he heard what the person on the other end had to say.

He swallowed hard and turned to Mikhail.

“Sir, Miss Rhodes was kidnapped outside of her apartment ten minutes ago”.